Thoughts On: Phillipine Television (and Pineapples)

I don't like pineapples. And really, the only way to make me like pineapples is to feed me nothing but pineapples until I say, "You know what, pineapples are maybe probably fine I guess kinda" and succumb to a life enriched with vitamin C and manganese. Ugh.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against pineapple-loving people (they come in handy when eating Hawaiian pizza) and I so BADLY wish I have the palate to not cringe whenever forced to eat them.

But here's the thing: I didn't loathe pineapples as a kid. Heck, I don't mind having an itchy tongue for a whole day if it means I get to eat all the pineapples I want. But I guess one day I found out how amazing tangerines (dalanghita) are and never ever looked back. 

And by "never ever looked back," I mean I found it hard to imagine that there existed a phase in my life that I, a full-time tangerine fanatic, can stomach pineapples.

I doubt this pineapple gives a damn though.

Now here's what I want you to do: Replace "pineapples" with "mainstream Philippine television" and "tangerines" with "foreign and/or indie films" you basically get my whole take on the state of television.
*Not totally applicable to some parts, but you get it. My readers are smart.

In a nutshell: Palatable only when I was still a naive mofo.


Seriously, the only reason I see why Filipino TV watchers never get tired of the repetitive, unoriginal, ultra-mega-f*cking cheesy (sorry but that's just how it is) teleseryes is because they have no other choice. 

In all local channels, you won't see a teleserye that has no rich-boy-poor girl (or vice versa) tandem who hates each other at first but of course falls madly in love 5 episodes later. At least one of the protagonists would have a missing-in-action parent, and at some point, either or both of them would get kidnapped.

Why? Because Philippine television. And advertisements.

It baffles me how repetitive shows with BEYOND POOR script and acting can rake in that much retentive audience. Are Filipinos really that bored?

I hope those people are just having their pineapple phase, and move on to demand better quality shows to encourage diversity and art within the show business.

I wish pineapples can just strut forward already.